ML14063A628
| ML14063A628 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 03/04/2014 |
| From: | Dapas M Region 4 Administrator |
| To: | Heflin A Wolf Creek |
| O'Keefe N | |
| References | |
| IR-13-001 | |
| Download: ML14063A628 (6) | |
See also: IR 05000482/2013001
Text
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION IV
1600 E. LAMAR BLVD.
ARLINGTON, TX 76011-4511
March 4, 2014
Mr. Adam C. Heflin, President
and Chief Executive Officer
Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation
P.O. Box 411
Burlington, KS 66839
SUBJECT:
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR WOLF CREEK GENERATING
STATION (REPORT 05000482/2013001)
Dear Mr. Heflin:
On February 12, 2014, the NRC completed its end-of-cycle performance review of Wolf Creek
Generating Station. The NRC reviewed the most recent quarterly performance indicators (PIs)
in addition to inspection results and enforcement actions from January 1, 2013, through
December 31, 2013. This letter informs you of the NRCs assessment of Wolf Creek
Generating Station during this period and its plans for future inspections at that facility.
The NRC determined that overall, Wolf Creek Generating Station was operated in a manner that
preserved public health and safety and met all cornerstone objectives. The NRC determined
the performance at Wolf Creek Generating Station during the most recent quarter was within the
Licensee Response Column of the NRCs Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Action Matrix
because all inspection findings had very low (i.e., Green) safety significance, and all PIs
indicated that plant performance was within the nominal, expected range (i.e., Green).
Therefore, the NRC plans to conduct ROP baseline inspections at your facility.
Although plant performance was within the Licensee Response Column, the NRC has not yet
finalized the significance of a preliminary Greater-than-Green finding in the physical security
cornerstone documented in NRC Inspection Report 05000482/2013403 (ML13346A227). The
final safety significance determination may affect the NRCs assessment of plant performance
and the enclosed inspection plan. You will be notified by separate correspondence of the final
significance for this finding, as well as any changes to our performance assessment and
associated inspection plan.
At the beginning of this assessment cycle, Wolf Creek Generating Station was in the Degraded
Cornerstone Column because there was one Yellow finding and one White performance
indicator in the Mitigating Systems Cornerstone. The Yellow finding involved your staffs failure
to provide adequate oversight of contractors while they performed work that could affect safety-
related equipment in April 2011. The performance indicator for Mitigating Systems Performance
Index - Emergency AC System (MSPI - EAC) had been reported as White since the first
quarter of 2012. On June 7, 2013, the NRC completed a supplemental inspection pursuant to
Inspection Procedure 95002, "Supplemental Inspection for One Degraded Cornerstone or Any
Three White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area," at Wolf Creek Generating Station. This
A.Heflin
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inspection was performed to assess your staffs evaluation of the root causes, contributing
causes, and corrective actions associated with the Yellow finding, and included an assessment
of actions to address four open substantive cross-cutting issues. The team also performed a
limited scope independent safety culture assessment follow-up in accordance with Inspection
Procedure 40100, Independent Safety Culture Assessment Follow-up. The inspectors
determined that your staff performed a comprehensive evaluation to identify appropriate causes
for the Yellow finding, and corrective actions were appropriate to address those causes. Based
on the results of this inspection, the Yellow finding was closed in NRC Inspection Report 05000482/2013010 (ML13203A329).
On April 29, 2013, the NRC completed the supplemental inspection to review the action taken to
address the White MSPI - EAC, pursuant to Inspection Procedure 95001, Supplemental
Inspection for One or Two White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area. As documented in
NRC Inspection Report 05000482/2013009 (ML13126A197), this inspection was performed to
assess your staffs evaluation of the root causes, contributing causes, and corrective actions
associated with the White PI. The PI data reported for Wolf Creek Generating Station for the
second quarter of 2013 indicated that MSPI - EAC had returned to Green. Therefore, since
four quarters had passed since the White PI was identified; the NRC had concluded based on
the 95001 supplemental inspection results, that you had adequately evaluated and addressed
the performance issues; and given that the PI had returned to Green as of June 30, 2013, Wolf
Creek Generating Station was returned to the Licensee Response column as of July 1, 2013.
The NRC also issued a Chilling Effect Letter (CEL) (ADAMS ML13233A208) to Wolf Creek
Nuclear Operating Corporation on August 19, 2013. The CEL was issued because the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had issued a finding of discrimination
for raising safety concerns against a former employee of an engineering contractor employed by
Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation, and due to the NRC identifying that a chilled work
environment existed within your facilitys Quality Assurance Group. Issuance of a CEL meets
the NRC criteria in Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 0305, Operating Reactor Assessment
Program, for the identification of a cross-cutting theme in the area of safety conscious work
environment (SCWE). However, the NRC has assessed your 30-day and 6-month responses to
the CEL, and conducted a public meeting in the Region IV office on January 22, 2014, to
discuss the actions that you are taking to address the working environment at your facility. The
NRC has decided not to open a substantive cross-cutting issue in the area of SCWE at this time
because the NRC staff does not have a concern with your actions. This theme will continue to
be reviewed during the next two performance assessments as we continue to monitor your
staffs actions to ensure Wolf Creek Generating Station is a workplace that fosters an
environment where employees feel free, and are encouraged, to raise safety concerns.
The enclosed inspection plan lists the inspections scheduled through June 30, 2015. Routine
inspections performed by resident inspectors are not included in the inspection plan. The
inspections scheduled to be conducted during the last nine months are tentative and may be
revised based on the results of the mid-cycle performance review. The NRC provides the
inspection plan to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability
issues. The NRC will contact your staff as soon as possible to discuss changes to the
inspection plan should circumstances warrant any changes. This inspection plan does not
include security related inspections, which will be sent via separate, non-publicly available
correspondence.
A.Heflin
- 3 -
An NRC audit of licensee efforts towards compliance with Order EA-12-049, Order Modifying
Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis
External Events, is ongoing. This audit includes an onsite component in order for the NRC to
evaluate mitigating strategies as described in licensee submittals, and to receive and review
information relative to associated open items. This onsite activity will aid the NRC staff in
development of an ultimate Safety Evaluation for the site. The NRC staff will be working with
your staff to establish a date for the onsite component audit. A site-specific audit plan for the
visit will be provided in advance to allow sufficient time for preparations.
As a result of the Safety Culture Common Language Initiative, the terminology and coding of
cross-cutting aspects were revised effective January 1, 2014. New cross-cutting aspects will be
coded in accordance with the latest revision to NRC Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 0310,
Aspects within Cross-Cutting Areas, dated December 19, 2013. Cross-cutting aspects
identified in the last six months of 2013 using the previous terminology will be converted to the
revised language in accordance with the cross-reference in IMC 0310. The revised cross-
cutting aspects will be evaluated for cross-cutting themes and potential substantive cross-
cutting issues in accordance with IMC 0305 starting with the calendar year 2014 mid-cycle
assessment.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter will be
available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the
Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). ADAMS
is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public
Electronic Reading Room).
Please contact Neil OKeefe at 817-200-1141 with any questions you or your staff may have
regarding this letter.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Marc L. Dapas,
Regional Administrator
Docket No. 50-482
License No. NPF-42
Enclosure:
Inspection Plan
A.Heflin
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R:\\_REACTORS\\EOC 2013\\WC2013 EOC LTR NFO 140304.docx
ADAMS: No
Yes
SUNSI Review Complete
Reviewer Initials: NFO
Publicly Available
Non-Sensitive
Non-publicly Available
Sensitive
DRP B/BC
DRS/DIR
DRP/DIR
NOKeefe
JClark
KKennedy
MDapas
/RA/
/RA/
/RA/
/RA/
02/26/2014
02/28/2014
02/28/2014
03/03/2014
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
T=Telephone
E=E-mail
F=Fax
WolfCreek
Inspection I Activity Plan
03/01/2014 - 06/30/2015
Page 1 of 2
02/27/2014
Report22
13:10:28
This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.
Enclosure
- RADIATION SAFETY
Title
2
03/17/2014
03/21/2014
03/17/2014
03/21/2014
RadiologicalHazard Assessment and Exposure Controls
Occupational ALARA Planning and Controls
03/17/2014
03/21/2014
03/17/2014
03/21/2014
IP 71151-0R01
Occupational Exposure Control Effectiveness
IP 71151-PR01
RETS/ODCM Radiological Effluent
TSB 52B
- BIENNIAL PI&R
4
05/19/2014
05/23/2014
IP 71152B
Problem Identification and Resolution
06/02/2014
06/06/2014
Problem Identification and Resolution
- RADIATION SAFETY- TEAM
4
06/02/2014
06/06/2014
06/02/2014
06/06/2014
06/02/2014
06/06/2014
06/02/2014
06/06/2014
IP '11124.05
INSP
Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation
Radioactive Gaseous and Liquid Effluent Treatment
Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program
Radioactive Solid Waste Processing and Radioactive Material Handling, Storage, and Transportation
- BIENNIAL REQUAL INSPECTION
3
08/25/2014
08/29/2014
10/20/2014
10/24/2014
11/03/2014
11/07/2014
IP 7111111B
Licensed Operator Requalification Program
EB2-05T
- TRIENNIAL FIRE PROTECTION INSPECTION
4
IP 7111105T
Fire Protection [Triennial]
IP 7111105T
Fire Protection [Triennial]
- EP PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
11/17/2014
11/1712014
11/17/2014
11/21/2014
11/21/2014
11/21/2014
IP 71151-EP01
IP 71151-EP02
IP 71151-EP03
Drill/Exercise Performance
ERO Drill Participation
Alert & Notification System
- EP PROGRAM INSPECTION
11/17/2014
11/1712014
11/17/2014
11/17/2014
11121/2014
11/21/2014
11/2112014
11121/2014
Alert and Notification System Testing
Emergency Preparedness Organization Staffing and Augmentation System
Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes
Correction of Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses and Deficiencies
- INSERVICE INSPECTION
02/23/2015
03/06/2015
IP 7111108P
lnservice Inspection Activities - PWR
- RADIATION SAFETY
2
03/09/2015
03/13/2015
Radiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls
03/09/2015
03/13/2015
IP '11124.03
In-Plant Airborne Radioactivity Control and Mitigation
03/09/2015
03/13/2015
IP '11151-0R01
Occupational Exposure Control Effectiveness
rfhis report does not include INPO and OUTAGE adlvffles.
WolfCreek
Inspection I Activity Plan
03/01/2014 - 06/30/2015
Page 2 of 2
02/27/2014
Report22
13:10:28
- This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.
Enclosure
i
Unit
i Number
Planned Dates
Start
End
-RADIATION SAFETY
- --*L.
Title
No. of Staff
on Site
2
03/09/2015
03/13/2015
IP 71151-PR01
RETS/ODCM Radiological Effluent
EB1-17T
- WC PERMANENT PLANT MODS & 50.59
06/15/2015
06/26/2015
IP 7111117T
Evaluations of Changes, Tests, and Experiments and Permanent Plant Modifications
Ttiis report does not inClude INPO and OUTAGE activities.